Thursday, September 20, 2007

(HealthDay News) -- The nasal flu vaccine FluMist has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for children between the ages of two and five.

Previously, the vaccine's approval had been limited to healthy people ages five to 49. It's made from a weakened form of the live influenza virus; in contrast flu shots usually contain a dead form of the virus.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that children six months and older be vaccinated for flu. However, the FDA said children under two years should not get FluMist because of an increased risk of wheezing and other side effects of the nasal inoculation.

FluMist also shouldn't be given to anyone with asthma, those with allergies to eggs, or to children under age five who chronically wheeze, the agency said.

FluMist is produced by MedImmune Vaccines Inc.

More informationHere's more about the expanded FluMist approval from the FDA.